St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-11
A PENSION BILL.
InProcess of Construction by the
G. a. R,

MADISON, Wis, June 10.-Gen. Gray,
Of the Grand Army of the Republic, is
busily engaged to-day in issuing to all
the posts in the country an important
document in the nature of a dependent
pension bill, whose passage will proba-
bly, be urged upon the next congress-.
1t was drafted by the national pension
committee of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, composed of the following rep
reSentative members of the order:
George I. Terrill, of Lawrence, Mass;
Louis Wagner, of Philadelphia, Pa;
John C.. Linehan, of Penacook, n. II.
and John G. DOuntze, of Toledo, o.
This committee was appointed by COM
mander-in-chief Fairchild, under reso-
luton of the national encampment.
Section l of the bill provides that in con-
Sidering the pension claims of depend
ent parents, the fact and cause. of death,
and the fact that the soldier left no
widow, or minor child or children hav-
ing been shown as required by law, it
shall be necessary only to show
by competent and sufficient
evidence that such parent OF
parents are or have been without other
means of support than their own manual
labor OF the contributions of others not
legally bound for their support; pro-
vided, that all pensions allowed under
this section of this act shall commence
from date Of actual dependence, if claim
was flied prior to July /, 1880; and in
case of applications thereafter made. the
pension shall commence from the date
of the filing OF the application in the
pension Office, or from date of
- SUBSEQUENT DEPENDENCE.
> III hot I'll
served three months in the military or !
naval service of the United States, and
who have been honorably discharged
and are suffering from mental or phys
ical debility, not the result of their own
vicious habits, shall be entitled to re-
ceive Sl2 per month; that persons who
are now receiving pensions under exist
ing laws, OF whose. claims are pending
in the pension Office, may receive the
benefits OF this act: chat no person shall
receive more than one pension for the
same period, and that rank in the service
shall not be considered, Section pre-
vides that if any invalid pensioner
has died, or shall hereafter die, leav-
ing widow, minor child or children
under eighteen years of age, or in case
there be no widow or minor child OF
children, dependent mother or father,
iSuch widow, minor child or children, or
mother or father, shall be placed upon
the pension roll at the rates established
by law for widows, minor children and
parents, without regard to the cause of
death of such penSioner, provided that
said widow was married to the deceased
pensioner prior to this act. That the in
crease of pensions for minor children
shall be at the rate of SIS per month in
stead of 81 per month as now provided
by law and if a minor child is insane
idiotic or otherwise helpless, the pen
sion shall continue during the life of
said child, or during the period of such
disability. Section 4 imposes fine of
$500 or imprisonment at hard labor, not
exceeding two years, or both, in the dis
erection of the court, on agents or attor-
neyS receiving greater fee than $40,
payable only upon the order of the COM
missioner of pensions, by the pension
agent, making payment of the pension
allowed.